Motor-skate.



E. 5;.` RlEs. v MoToR SKATE. A I. APPLICATION FIIZED MAR. 5. |906. RENEWED OCT. 3| 1914. LSQ

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

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E. E. RIES.

MOTOR SKATE. APPLICATIN FILED MAR. 6, 1906. nENEwr-:D ocT. 3, |914.

Patented Aug.n 24,

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ATTRNEl/S 'ing the extent of ELIAS E. RIES, '0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

Moron-SKATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Application inedl March 6, 1906, serial No. 304,453. Renewed october s, 1914.y serial No. 864,942.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, ELIAS E. Ruis, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, in the county .ofNeW York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor- Skates, of which the following is a specification. i f

My inventionv relates to improvements 1n the construct-ion of the frame and operating mechanism of the general form of skate previously inventedfby me and described in my application for patent filed March 14th, 1906, Serial No.v 306,073, and renewed October 3, 1914, asSerial No. 864,943, (the subject-matter of which originally formed the basis of an earlier application for Letters Patent for my said invention, filed August 20, 1898, Serial No. 689,144) wherein I have described a skate in whichv the propelling power is derived from a depressible footplate mounted on a suitable supporting frame connecting front and rear wheels, said plate being connected to means for equalizdownward movement of all parts of the footlate and the driving mechanism being operatively connected with said plate. y

My present improvements relate more particularly to the supporting frame and to the connection between said frame and the depressible foot-plate.

The main objects of my invention are, first z-to so construct the supporting frame Athat the foot-plate may operate entirely above the same, to avoid the necessity of making "different sized frames for different widthsof shoes, while still keeping the center of gravity at a low point: second,-to so construct the entire frame and skate operating mechanism carried thereby, that they will be contained within the width of the foot-plate of the skate or the foot of the skater orpedestrian, so as to prevent interference of one skate with the other and vto permit the skate to be operated over a comparatively narrow path or against a curb or other obstruction: third,-to provide a construction whereby the skate frame is materially stifened and rendered more rigid, while at the same time reducing its weight, thereby enabling me to use a given weight of material to the greatest mechanical advantage, crease the ease of operating, the skate. To accomplish these objects I form the frame and to considerably lighten, and in-- of a bar,"tube or rod, of comparatively small cross section, and arrange the main portion of this bar frame, which extends between the pilot and driving wheels,` substantially in line with the longitudinal center of the skate,

whereby said frame may be brought intov close proximity to the ground or other surface of travel without danger to any part thereof'touching or coming into contact with said surface when the skate is rocked or inclined from the perpendicular.

The further points of improvement are fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings :'-Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of askate made according to my inven- 't1on. Flg. 3 is a plan of the supporting frame detached.y Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sections taken on lines 4-e4, 5 5, respectively,

ofFig. 2. Fig. 6 is a plan view, and Fig. 7 a side elevation of a modifiedform of skate embodying `certain parts of my improvements.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the supporting frame A is formed of a bar, of any suitable metal or1 other material, the main portion a of which is T-shaped in cross-section. Each end of this, T-bar a is bifurcated to straddle the wheels B, B', and serve as forks or bearings for the same. This construction is well adapted for bicycle motor skates such as describedin my aforesaid more generic application for Letters Patent filed March 14,

1906 and renewed October3, 1914, under Serial Nos'. 306,07 3-864,943, respectively, but it will be readily understood that if two pilot or two driving wheels are used, such as shown on sheet 1 of my prior U. S. Patent, No. 7 06,7 83, dated Aug. `12, 1902, which was granted me on 'n an application originally filed May 8, 1897 under Serial No. 635,690, the bara would not be bifurcated at such end or ends, but would be continuedk straight', and provided with a journal for supporting a wheel at each side of the frame. ,f

The bifurcated ends are bent upward so that the main bar a of the frame depends fi from the wheels approximately parallel with the surface of travel and with the foot-plate, andsufficiently'low to enable the foot-plate to alternately approach and recede therefrom, in a-substantially vertical movement, while making these reciprocations preferably below a plane through the axles of the wheels. By this arrangement the center of gravity is kept at a very low point for safety, while the depending frame is out of the way of thefoot in its movements, and the entire structure occupies no -greater width than that of-the foot itself.' This depending bar a of the frame is in alinement with the center of the foot-plate\C,.and in bicycle skates., With la plane passing through the centers of the two wheels. v l

In my co-pending application Serial No. 864,943, the foot-plate is pivoted to the supporting frame substantially as shown in Fig. 2 of the present application, that is, by spacing links or levers pivoted to the footplate and' frame so that the said levers, footplate and frame form together a jointed rectangle, and `the foot-plate is always maintained parallel with the frame. The spacing. links are preferably in` the form o f bellcranks d and df. The bell-cranks al are pivoted to the rear forks of the frame at a; As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and .5, I form on. the frame A an.upwardly extending -bracket a2, carrying the bearing for the pivot afl? of the front bell-crank levers d. The foot-plate C is vextended at yits front end beyond the point where the toe of the shoe reaches, and has av out out portion c to permit the foot-plate to vso descend below the pivot bearing, as it is preferable to have the bell-crank levers secured to the foot-plate in advance of the pivot as, for reasons fully set forth in my said application Serial No. 864,943.

Rods e may connect the lower ends of the bell-cranks d, d. The frame A is provided lwith lugs a5, see Figs. 2 and 4, against each ofwhich bears a spring e surrounding one of the rods e, the other end of the spring being secured to or bearing against the collar 6.2 on said rod. These springs e tend to move the rods ein the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, and normally raise the foot-plate C. The rods e and springs c are placed in the angles beneath the projecting top sides of the T-bar a for protection, and -if desired may be further protected by suitable dustproof sheathing, although I narily find this necessary.

do not ordi- Buffers or cushions r, secured to the supporting bar a, prevent any shock that might 'be caused by the foot-plate descending too rapidly and striking the bar.

It is quiteA evident that these buffers might be placed on the under side of the foot-plate.

InFig. 2, the foot-plate C, which may be stampedout of thin sheet steel or other material, isl shown (in dotted lines) as provided with depending stifl'ening flanges c3,

' to impart to it the necessary rigidity.

The skate is driven by means of the internal rack teeth of the levers D engaging with lantern pinions Fwhich latter, though free to rotate in either direction, are connected by clutch mechanismto the driving wheel B during the forward rotation of the pin- .vention I simplify this construction by forming each rack' levery D and arear bell-crank lever d in one piece,.as shown in Figs. l and 2. Therefore, the combined lever D, al', not only forms part of the jointed rectangle or parallelogram consisting of the bar a, footplate C and levers d, d, but, when the footplate. is depressed also serves to drive the lantern pinion F, and consequently thedriving Wheel B, forward. It will be observed that When the foot-plate C is fully depressed, in this type of my skates, its points of suspension upon the ends of the upper arms of the bell-crank levers d and d are still above the level of the extremities of the lower arms and of their tie-rods e, so that the parallelism of the foot-plate is preserved throughout its stroke.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a modification of skate to represent a centrally disposed supporting frame applied to a skate having another form of depressible foot-plate, The frame is shown asy built up of small tubing, the several parts being put together substantially as a bicycle is built up. In thiscase the main bar all carries at each end a cross-piece am,

supporting tubes a. Tubes (L12-.secured tol the foot-plate C at a15,'are adapted to Work or telescope Within the tubes als. Springs al, shown in dotted linesin Fig. 7 normally press the tubes al, and consequently the footplate C, upward. The foot-plate C is still'- lened by two longitudinally extending tubes 01.1,'shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and in full lines in Fig. 7, whose ends are brazed or otherwise secured within lugs'clz, fastened to the front and rear of the foot-plate outside of. the line ofthe central frame tube au.

To the rear cross-piece a are secured two lupwardly and backwardly extending tubes D are slotted, and engage withfriction rollers mounted upon the foot-plate pivots c. To the front cross-piece am a bracket a is bolted. A single curved tube w22, carried by bracket (L21, passes upward and over the pilot wheel B. The fork H, carrying-the pilot wheel B', is swiveled to the upper end cushion tires,

of the tube w22. This swiveling point may be directly over the axle of the wheel B', as shown in full lines in Fig. 7, but is preferably placed somewhat in advance of a vertical line drawn from said axle, as shown in dotted lines, vin order that the ywheel B may trail and guide the skate vwhen the frame is surned to the right or to the left by the oot.

A guardG prevents the wheel B from turning too far in either direction. A brakelev'er 0, adapted to be operated by 'a mounted in operative proximity to the driving wheel B by means of a cross-piece L25 secured to the vertical rear guiding posts t, that extend upward through the tubes als, a, from the frame cross-piece cl2, and on fwhich the foot-plate C is guided.

The foot-plates C, or C may be provided with any ,suitable means for fastening the skate to the shoe, such for example, as the straps shown, or by means of adjustable metallic clamps of any well-known or desirable construction. l

, By providing the wheels with yielding or andmounting the foot-plate I on yielding supports, the disagreeable effects of a frame rigidly secured to the wheels are counterbalanced.

The general construction of the driving I mechanism and of the skate and the manner ofv pivotally mounting a; depressible' footplate upon equalizmg or spacing links upon a frame connecting the front and rear wheels and the mounting' of the foot-plate to work below a line ]oining the axles of said wheels is not herein claimed but is broadly claimed,

Afio

^ tion above referred to.

together with other features of construction hereln d1sclosed,in my co-pending applicaunderstood thatmy present application relates merely to details of improvement upon the construction of the skate, more particularly in the construction of the frame, all

as more particularly specified in the claims herein,

closed inthe said co-pending case, which disclosesv the form first invented by me and for which I originally irst made. application. v

V What I claim as my invention is:

` disposed 1. In a motor skate, the combination of wheels, a depressible footsupporting frame for said skate, extending parallel with and below the center line of said foot plate, mechanism connecting said depressible foot-plate with the drivand parallel motion links between substantially; as lset 2. In a motor'skate, the combinationof a depressible foot with a support- Afoot plateI substantially It will therefore be said improvements not being dis-- connecting the same and as to straddle said driving wheel and parallel motion links connecting the frame and as described.

3. In a motor skate, the vcombination of driving and pilot wheels, a vdepressible foot platextending between said wheels, and a rigid supporting frame for said skate extending parallel with andl below the center line of said of its ends with a fork or bifurcation adapted to straddle said driving wheel and to serve as a bearing for the same, driving levers mounted upon said fork and intermediate mechanism connecting the depressible foot-plate with said driving wheel, substan tially as and for the purpose described 4. In a motor skate, the combination of a supporting frame and a foot-plate, with spacing links pivoted to and connecting the said frame and said foot-plate, rack levers in one piece with the spacing links at'one end of the skate and mechanism connecting skate. f

5. In a motor skate,

trally beneath the same and connecting the foot-plate and provided at one Y the combination of a movable foot plate, a bar extending cenforward and rear wheels of the skate, parallel motion links pivoted to said bar and to the foot plate at the rear and frorward ends of the same, and driving mechanism connected with said movable foot plate` 6. In a motor skate, the combination of a centrally disposed bar T shaped in cross section, rods in the angles formed thereby, and a depressible foot-plate, with bell-crank levers pivoted to the said bar and connecting uthe said foot-plate with the said'rods, and

driving mechanism connecting said depressivble foot-plate with a driving wheel ofthe skate.

7. In a motor skate, the combination of.

connecting said depressiblefoot-plate with,

one of said wheels.-

8. In a motor skate, sup-porting wheels, and a the combination of rigid central bar depressed at its intermediate portion between the wheels below'a line connecting the axes of said wheels with a foot-plate mounted directly on .said bar and iadapted to reciprocate toward and from the same, means located 'at the front and rear of the plate and substantially in line with the longitudinal axis of said ceni tra-l 4bar for guiding the' foot 'plate'l in itsrerespectively tothe plate and frame, one of said links-being provided with Ia segmental rack, 'and 'a pinion and clutch connecting the rack and-driving wheel of the ska/te and adapted as described to propel the skate on the downward movement of -theplate 10. ,In a motor skate, the combination `with a supporting frame, a delp-ressible foot- `plate therefor, and a driving -Wheel designed to be rotated by the depression of' said foot v p l-ate, lof a combined spacing and. driving lever mounted on the supporting'frame and .a pinion and clutch connecting said lever and driving wheel.

11. The combination of a movable fo'ot plate, a supporting frame therefor,V a. bar

extending centrally beneath the foot plate, 4 parallel motion links pivotedto salid bar and to the foot platelet the rear and forward ends of 'the same and driving mechanism connected with said movable'foot plate, as and for the purpose described.

` 12. vThe combination of a depressible foot platewith a vsupporting.

plalte, asup-porting frame therefor. a wheel designed to be rotated by the depression of said :toot plate, a combinedspacing and actuating lever provided with a toothed rackv and a pinion .and clutch coperating with said rack Iand connecting said lever and Wheel, as and forthe purpose described.

13. In a' velocipede or motor-skate, the combination of a frame sup orting fron-t and rear wheels, a depressible cot-plate pivoted thereto and adapted to be reciprocated toward and from said frame, driving mechanisrn operalted by the said foot-plate, and a cushioned s topor stops lbetween the said frame and foot-plate.

`14. Ina velocipede or motor-skate, a longitudi-nally extending frame of light yet rigid cross-section, preferably T-shaped, and

provided with- -an upwardly projecting forked extension at its rear portion for the reception of a driving wheel, the said frame likewise being adapted to house a pair of spring-pressedparallel rods below its upper surface and at either side of its longitudinal central portion, substantially as described.

Signed atNew York in the county offNevv Yorkand yState of VNew Yorkjthis 11st day of Merch A. D. 1906.

f ELIAS E. RIES. Witnesses-z' v v C. F.'.T1soHNER, Jr.,

LILLIAN BLOND. 

